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Apache CXF TLS hostname verification does not work correctly with com.sun.net.ssl.*

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Oct 19, 2018 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Dec 21, 2023

Package

maven org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 3.2.0, < 3.2.5
< 3.1.16

Patched versions

3.2.5
3.1.16
maven org.apache.cxf:cxf (Maven)
>= 3.2.0, < 3.2.5
< 3.1.16
3.2.5
3.1.16

Description

It is possible to configure Apache CXF to use the com.sun.net.ssl implementation via 'System.setProperty("java.protocol.handler.pkgs", "com.sun.net.ssl.internal.www.protocol");'. When this system property is set, CXF uses some reflection to try to make the HostnameVerifier work with the old com.sun.net.ssl.HostnameVerifier interface. However, the default HostnameVerifier implementation in CXF does not implement the method in this interface, and an exception is thrown. However, in Apache CXF prior to 3.2.5 and 3.1.16 the exception is caught in the reflection code and not properly propagated. What this means is that if you are using the com.sun.net.ssl stack with CXF, an error with TLS hostname verification will not be thrown, leaving a CXF client subject to man-in-the-middle attacks.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jul 2, 2018
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Oct 19, 2018
Reviewed Jun 16, 2020
Last updated Dec 21, 2023

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

0.686%
(80th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2018-8039

GHSA ID

GHSA-jc7r-v6fg-2gpf

Source code

Credits

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